Railway-traffic-controlling apparatus



May 19, 1925.

5' F. HOWARD RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS Filed Nov 27, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIE-5.1.

INVNTORZ 1 6b z'uzwwee May 19, 1925.

L. F. HOWARD RAILWAY TRAFFIC CONTROLLING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F I E .z-

Filed Nov. 27, 1922 INVENTOR.

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Patented May 19, .1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEMUEL 13. HOWARD, on Enenwoon Bonooen', rnnnsxnvanmjnssrenon 'ro THE Union swrron & SIGNAL COMPANY, or SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, 'A 0011- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-TearrIo ooncrnoLLme APPARATUS.

Application filed November 27, 1922. Serial No. 603,461.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, LEMUEL F.-Howhno, citizen of the Umted States, residing at Edgewood Borough, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful 1mprovements in Railway-TrafiicControlling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to railway traffic controlling apparatus, and particularly to indicators for use in apparatus of that. character. I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims. y

In the accompanyingdrawings, 1 is a view showing in front elevation, partly sectioned, one form of speed indicator embodying my invention. Fig. 2 isa vertical sectional view on the line II II of'Fig. 1 and also shows diagrammatically the operating mechanism of the device which controls the indicator. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing one arrangement of circuits adapted for use in connection with the indicator shown in Fig. 1.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the three views.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the indicator comprises a box or container having a back 1, a top 3, a bottom 2, and two sides 1 and 5, all of wood or other suitable material. Movably fastened by meansof hinges r 6 to the side 5 is a front plate 11 of sheet steel or other suitable material, which is secured in its closed position, as shown in the drawings, by means of a hasp and staple 7.

, A rectangular aperture 12 in this front plate 11, permits of observation of the interior of the box. The aperture is covered by I a glass 12 held in place by a frame 18. Supported in the front plate above the aperture are three signal units 32whichj Iwill describe hereinafter. 'Fastened to the back 1 of the box by screws 37 is a plate 36 of sheet steel or other suitable material, which. supports the moving parts of the indicator- Attached to this plate at its four corners by 1 screws'35 are forwardly projecting spacing members 35. Supported by these spacing,

members and attached thereto by screws is an indicator face 7 which isso disposed pointer 14.

Fastened to the plate 7, and spaced there: i from is a metal segment 8, having thereon as to be al-anawanna immediately b hind the aperture 12. Journalled in a suitable bearing 38 in this indicator face and a' similar bearing 38 in the back plate 86is a shaft 16. Between the aperture 12 and the indicator face 7 and attached to the forward end of the shaft 16 by means of a hub 15 is position of the shaft 16with respect to the fixed parts of the device. A fiat coil spring 17 hasone end, attached to this shaft by 1 means of a machine screw 19 and has its other end fastened to the'plate 36 by means i of a pin 18. This spring biases the pointer to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, that is, it

exerts a torque in clockwise direction on the shaft 16 and pointer 14. Rigidly attached to the shaft 16 and interposed between the spring 17 and the indicator face 7 is a if grooved pulley 20. Passing over this pulley and having one end attached thereto is a flexible inextensible cable 21, which passes through a conduit 26 to the control mechanism shown in Fig. 2. This control mechanism in the form shown, is a governor G comprising a pair of weights 2 1. which are caused-to rotate about a shaft by gearing 25 from an axle 18 of the vehicle on which the indicator is mounted. These weights are connected by means of li'nkwork to a collar 22. Dueto the centrifugal force created by their rotation they tend to move the coll-at to the left against the force exerted by a spring '23. The cable 21 is attached to this collar 22 and hence communicates the motion of the said collar to therim of the pulley 20. I When the vehicle is at rest, the collar 22 draws the shaft 16 andpointer 17 to their the positions in which they are shown in Fig.

31. Any increase in the speedof the balls to move in clockwise direction, Fig. 1, in'

extreme left hand position against the action of spring 17 and these parts then occupy response to the biasing action ofthe spring 17. Thus for any one speed of the vehicle there is one and only one position of the three movable clips 9 9 and 9 These clips may be fastened in any desired positions along the segment 8 by means of 7 screws 10.

A second conduit 27 communicates, by means of a hole through the, bottom 2,Wll)l1 theinterior ot the box. This conduit protects the wires. which connect by means of t relay t1. The restricted speed lamp-il is provided with a (311(311111WVlllClllDC-lilClGS the plate 11 and 'hasa the binding posts 28 with the three signal units mentioned above 2111Cl'Wl11Cl1 I will=now' describe.

Each signal unit 32 comprises a bushing Restrict-ed, andA'lor iti'uthorizcdf Each unit" also comprisesa lamp holder 33, rigidly attached tothe bushing 30 and having a. socket for an electi'iclamp 47K This holder 33 is cylindrical ii'iishape and is provided I with an opening 34' inits'lower side; so l0- cated that the light from the lamp may: fallupon the pointer 14 and the indicator face 7''. These three lamps are controlle'd,'- as shown'in l ig. 3 by a relay, "cles'ignate'd as a whole by the reference characteralland liaving two eiiei'gizingwindings 41 .and 41 and arotor element 41 This relay is alsoprovided with movable contact fingers 1-2 and 50 operated by the rotor 4-1 and capa- 1 ble of assuming threepositions. The relay is controlled by traliic conditions in advance b means not' esse'ntialto m" aresent' invention. It is su'tlicient-to'say that when condi tions in advance ares afetherelay is energized in'such a direct-ionthat tlie fingers 4-52 and 50 areswungto the right closing the 1 normal-contact's 4:2 43 and"50-51 whei'r conditions in ad'vance require cautionthc fingersa-re swuiig to the l'eft closing reverse tions in advance are claiigei"oii tlie fingers *7 assume an intermediate position and back form of tral'lic controlling; apparatus which operates in this manner is illustrated and described in an application filed in the United States Patent Oilice by Lloyd V.

Lewis-on November 21, 1918, Serial No. 263,607 for railway trailic controlling-sys tems, issued Sept-. 7, 1920 as Patent No.

1,351,771, and reissued May- 1, 1923, No.

Each lamp is designatedby the reference character 4:7- with an exponent: correspond- The ing' toits positions in the indicator. slow speed lamp '47 is PlOVlClGdWltllfl C11- cuit which includes a source of energy such as a battery 46 and-the back contact l2el lbattery 46 and the reverse contact 42- l'ol relay 41. The authorized speed lamp 47* 4L3 on relay ll. The contact finger 5 in conjunction with the centrifugalgovernor above miles. per-hour and below some intermediate speed as milesper hour only the'co'ntacts 5754: and'5755 are closed, and at speeds above 35 miles per hour and so below 'som'ehigh speed as miles-per hour only the conta ct' 57-54- isclo'sed, while at speeds above miles per hour nonc of these contacts are closed; A magiietM is ar-' ranged so that when de-energized the-ve '85 hicle: brakes are applied: This magnetie provided witlr a circuit"including5 the bat tery 46', contact 57 54r on centrifuge G, and a 4 normal contact 5051 on relay 4]., a second circuitaincludingathe battery 46; contact 57 55 on centrifuge- G and contact 50453 on relay 41 and athird circuit including the battery 46,- the contact 57-56 incentriiuge G and contact 50-52 on relay 41. Thus it is clear that when trafficconditions in advance are sa fe'the lamp M will-be lighted and an'automatio brake application will not be madeunless the train speed exceeds 65 m'iles per hour If trafiic conditions-in advance require cautiomthelamp 47 'w'illbe' lighted andbralre application willbe made if the I train speed exceeds 35 miles per hour. If tratfic conditions in advance are dangerous the lamg el'r' will be lighted andbrake application madeit the train-speed exceeds 15 miles per hour. i

The calibration of the indicator may be; made by running the vehicle'out on the road. noticing at-what'positions of the pointer l-flthe brake application takes place for the various speed limits corresponding to; various trailic conditions, and fastening the movable clips-opposite such positions o't the pointer. I The driver willthen have complete information for the operation of his vehicle' because he will be informed of the speed limitations under which he is running by noticingwh-ich of the lamps is lighted, and he will merely have towatchthe approach of the; pointer to; the clip associated with suc11- 1amp-in order to determine when the automatic brake application is about to occur;

.In the side 5 of the box aretwo ventilating-holes 29, covered-with fine mesh inetal gauze, to allow'i'ree circulation air but prevent the entrance of insects, dirt, or other extraneous matter;

Although I have herein shown and described only one form ofapparatusembodying' my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

l-laving thus described my invention, what I claim is: I

1. In combination, a vehicle, a speed-re= sponsive device on said vehicle, a pointer operated by said device, a plurality of adjust able members adjacent to the path of the said pointer, and a plurality of lamps asso ciated with said members and illuminating them and controlled by tlaiiic conditions ahead of the said vehicle.

2. In combination, a vehicle, a speed-responsive device on said vehicle, a pointer operated by saiddevice, a plurality of ad j ustable members adjacent to the path oi the said pointer, and means controlled by traiiie conditions ahead of the vehicl for illuminating said members.

operated by said device, three adjustable membersadjacent to the path of the said pointer for indicating in conjunction therewith, slow, medium and high speed limits, respectively, ofthe said vehicle, and. a plurality of lamps associated with said members and illuminating them and controlled by traflic conditions ahead of the said vehicle In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

LEMUEL F. HOYVARD. 

